The Armenian Reporter has a new website. So far, this seems to be the only well-designed website for any of the U.S.-based Armenian newspapers. Hopefully, this website will start a competition and we will see improvements among other newspapers.

8 Responses to “US: Armenian Newspaper Gets New Website”

The new reporter.am has sharing facilities (like “Send to a friend” and Digg, facebook etc), though I have never seen an Armenian relating story on the front page of Digg 🙂 Still, that “Share this” button on reporter.am integrates well with LJ, WordPress and other blogging platforms … No RSS though — a big drawback.

Aravot has a new site too, looks better, but I wouldn’t call it a great site. Navigation is still problematic and no RSS.

I heard that Hetq.am is planning to radically improve it’s website, and A1plus too. I heard Hzh.am was also planning a new site for a very long time and there were some attempts (quite unsuccessful).

I’ve also stumbled upon some minor newspaper and local radio sites that are running on WordPress.

Among other cool developments on ArmNet are tert.am and, of course, khosq.com

It’s interesting though, that individual bloggers (which is a very Web2.0 thing) are leading the way and setting the standards in Armenian web advances, especially in the sphere of news sites.

Just a pity that the paper is a propaganda rag and its editor two-faced. One example. I know Vincent from way back, but recently met him at the 3 July U.S. Embassy party (for 4 July). Asked him if he would take any freelance material from me. Actually, I knew the answer was no because he had told me a few years ago that the Cafesjian/Bagrat Sargsyan owned CS Media (i.e. firmly under the control of pro-Kocharian forces) wouldn’t.

Still, wanted to see if he was a propagandist or an actual editor.

Then he saw Amberin Zaman at the party and he tried to brown-nose as he usually does. She told him he should take my material because it was good. He looked uncomfortable and said he would meet me, but I assumed only to “impress” her. He’d meet after he got back from Prague, he said, which of course, I didn’t believe. And I was right.

Now, after many months and many emails, still no response. It’s all an act with Vincent and The Armenian Reporter. They’re a rag albeit a well financed one. However, they can in no way be considered a newspaper. I’ve worked for The Bristol Evening Post, The Independent, The Economist, and god knows who else over the years, but they won’t even consider me for “political reasons” (i.e. Cafesjian’s investments must be kept safe in Armenia).

Another story, the web site designers of the new site told me that they wanted to use my photos because they were the best from Armenia. Obviously, The Armenian Reporter, once again, as a sycophantic albeit highly evolved propaganda rag, have blacklisted me. Story of my life in Armenia. The shit rises to the surface thanks to connections, sycophancy and working for the powers that be.

That in a nutshell is The Armenian Reporter. It’s a rag dressed up, but still a rag. Thank God Vincent never got the opportunity to re-launch AIM magazine. As someone who is an academic who has sold his soul always, and certainly someone who should not be a newspaper editor, this country would be in big trouble.

Boycott the paper. Say no to the highly propagandist and usually misleading Armenian Diasporan media until it’s made clear how much financial interests CS Media has with the government of Armenia and those closest to the ruling regime. Let’s face it, Cafesjian would lose everything if he actually printed the news.

A real shame. Tried to get some response from him so many times, but it was obvious. He tried to brown-nose Pennington’s wife and lied straight out in order not to appear an amateur in what should be a professional media market. A fancy web site does not make that. Real reporting and transparency (including in its freelance and staffing policy) does.

Nazarian, you don’t have to worry. Firstly, their web site has been up for ages, including earlier this year. This has been merely a site redesign. Secondly, they are owned by the same people who own Channel Armenia. Thirdly, they are effectively the mouthpiece of not only official Yerevan to the Diaspora, but also Cafesjian’s new lobbying group in the U.S.

It’s audience will therefore be low, and I wouldn’t expect much in terms of news. Profession in looks and financing it might be, but in terms of information, forget it. Cafesjian has too much at stake to risk independent and objective reporting. With the money behind them, for example, why aren’t we seeing the best known names in Armenian-related journalism writing for them?

Simple. Because there is a political line they have to tread, and how that is defined is simple. Look at Channel Armenia and who is behind CS Media and the role it has played in local politics, and it’s quite clear. Incidentally, the domain is registered at CS Media’s headquarters which also houses Channel Armenia, TV5 etc.

Basically, there’s as much chance of proper reporting from The Armenian Reporter as there is from Channel Armenia. Moreover, there’s as much chance of the government shutting down the paper as there is of it closing down Channel Armenia. Which is basically none. They’ll never pose a threat because the media organization is not politically neutral let alone independent.

CS Media, for example, are alleged to have been instrumental in keeping A1 Plus off the air. It’s lawyers were involved at one point in preventing A1 Plus from being on air, and the company owns multiple broadcasting frequencies. That already says a lot about the relationship between Kocharian and CS Media. I’m sure the relationship continues under Sargsyan.

Way to go Onnik! I am sure commissions will flow in now that every media outlet will seek your stamp of approval. Right!

With one posting you managed to slander and insult not just the Reporter’s owners, publishers and staff but more than 50 different people who have contributed writing, design and editing to it in the last month alone.

Needless to say I strongly object to your language and disagree with your claims. And welcome everyone to read the Reporter and offer criticisms and comment on substance of stories I and many others write.

I have to say that Onnik and I have not seen eye to eye for some time, but I agree with him fully on this one, and it is encouraging to see he is letting his feelings be known in public, in flowery language and in no uncertain terms.

It is high time the media in Armenia and among the Diaspora stopped bowing down to the regime and to other special interests, and that competent and independent reporters started ‘demanding’ straight answers to carefully crafted and very specific questions, so that they could reflect the real situation, rather than the fabricated stories, or downright lies, we too often read from official announcements, press conferences and/or interviews.

Wow, Onnik. You’re a very angry young man. Too bad in the 12-13 years that you’ve “been around” you have not directed your (apparently latent) anger at appropriate targests. Like, lets say, the turks or the azero-tatars.

Zareh are you basically saying that if an Armenian sees something wrong with Armenia or the government, he should not say anything regarding the issue, or even get angry, but should only target his anger against the Turks or the Azeris? Do you think that it would improve the situation of Armenia in any way?